Various forms of applicator device for use in applying a material in the form of a stick from which the material can be applied by a spreading action are known. One such applicator device comprises a gripping portion and a screw portion which is connected to the gripping portion in axial alignment therewith and which can be rotated relative to the gripping portion. The screw portion has a central cavity for receiving the stick. Fixed to the screw portion is a sleeve having an internal screwthread mounted on a screwthreaded spindle. The spindle is mounted in the gripping portion in such a way that it cannot rotate therein but is capable of moving axially therein. By virtue of the screwthreaded engagement between the screwthreaded sleeve and the screwthreaded spindle, rotary movement as between the screw portion and the gripping portion causes the spindle to move axially within the gripping portion. The device further includes a pushing member for engaging the stick for pushing it out of and retracting it into the screw portion. The pushing member is disposed at the front end of the screwthreaded spindle so that the axial movement of the screwthreaded spindle by relative rotary movement between the gripping portion and the screw portion causes axial movement of the stick. Such a design is to be found in British patent specification No 956 651 and can be used in relation to a stick of a spreadable material, which is produced by an extrusion operation and which is thus suitably fixed to the pushing member at the front end of the screwthreaded spindle.
In that device, the gripping portion is connected to the screw portion in that, at its end towards the screw portion, the gripping portion has an inwardly turned edge with an opening therein, and the screw portion is enlarged in transverse dimension at its end part which is towards the gripping portion. The enlarged end of the screw portion thus is retained in the gripping portion by co-operating with the inwardly turned edge of the gripping portion. That design configuration means that it is not readily possible for the screw portion and the gripping portion to be disconnected from each other while in addition that device is really only intended for and suitable for use with extruded sticks.